Listening Post 3- Less a Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, More A Final Walk About Town

Done.

It's still out of reach, an absolute grasp on racism I mean, but I can safely say that my final trip through Overtown via Jackson's Soul Food was unproductive (in the sense that I had no contacts willing to give me their information). In every other sense, it was what I'd been trying to have all along, fun. Not to say the homeless are, well, fun...but they were more willing to provide tales from rock bottom than I'd figured. Among weaving their stories for me as I shared a cigarette (since I was just passing by), we touched on everything in between, the genius of Issac Hayes' Hot Buttered Soul, Obama graffiti, and where they spend their evenings. As police cars began to pass by, they (I say they because the informal exchange never got to names) quickly became jittery. I figured I'd let them move their makeshift homes and not slow them down.

The key in my last post was that I finally had my stereotypical Overtown experience with a young man who kept coming around me on a BMX bike.

Guy (Marshall? Name was spliced into his sentence somewhere, but he had other things on his mind)- Yo. Lemme get a cig.
Me (it's the 6th one I've given out in the span of 3 city blocks)- Sure.

Nelson fumbles with the pack.

Me (mid-fumble)- Ah, hold up.
Guy- You want some crack?
Me- *stare*
Guy- Or coke if you need.
Me- Ah, nah thanks man.
Guy (looking desperate)- I ain't a cop.
Me- Neither am I.

Nelson gives the amazingly straightforward crack dealer a smoke.

Me- Take it easy man.

Nelson hastily walks back to car.

Granted, I spazzed and left, I hadn't realized the prospects for a Friday night would be so dry (well early afternoon). An error on my part, but one which opened up my evening to say goodbye to Nooni and take a walk in the evening through Overtown. Aside from the crack dealer, surprisingly uneventful Had I not learned anything in the class?! I panicked, feeling myself crawl back into stereotypes and the belief that I couldn't just walk around for fear of, ell, the irrational. I made my way back to my car and realized it had all been in vain, just letting the unfamiliar get the better of me. Though this final forray was really a quick glance back at the place I'd seen only a few times before, I realized the most important part in the exercise wasn't whether or not I'd fit in or found something profound in each and every person I came across, the point is that even though the class is done, I still want to go back. Not just for the food, but because it's just another part of town to get to know, and I'm still not quite where I'd like to be yet.